City God

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	City God (城隍)
Alias(es)	County City God; Prefecture City God; Capital City God 300
Species/Race	Orthodox God / Deity
Affiliation	Divine Path; regional Shinto pantheon
Occupation/Role	Regional deity responsible for Shinto authority, spiritual adjudication, and the protection of human believers within its jurisdiction
Status	Active divine position; its terminal tier is Principal Fifth Rank. Further promotion changes the holder’s position to Prefecture Lord. 379 409
First Appearance	79

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Subordinate Seventh Rank — County City God	156	Li Yue ascends from Orthodox Land God to City God, gaining a twentyfold expansion of jurisdiction, a Level 1 Underworld Dharma Domain, and twelve Subordinate God positions. His strength reaches the middle of the Ninth Order. The promotion is already recognized by his followers in the preceding chapter. 155 156
Principal Seventh Rank — City God	200, 227	Li Yue opens his first Deity Pool and gains an expanded Divine Domain that functions as his true body, permitting revival after his external divine body is destroyed. He is also identified as a Principal Seventh Rank deity when he first leaves his jurisdiction to enter God Ruins Mountain; doing so reduces a deity's strength. 200 227
Subordinate Sixth Rank — Prefecture City God	254, 260	Li Yue begins his promotion after advancing Four Seas County into Four Seas Prefecture City. Several City God arts evolve, including Orthodox God Heavenly Eye into City God Divine Eye and City God Manifestation into Second Divine Body. 254 260
Principal Sixth Rank — Prefecture City God	294	Li Yue refines the Five Elements Rotation Divine Light Technique for a month and promotes, greatly increasing his combat power. His status interface later explicitly identifies his position as Four Seas Prefecture City’s Prefecture City God. 294 300
Subordinate Fifth Rank — Capital City God	335	Li Yue becomes the first Subordinate Fifth Rank deity of the era and expands his jurisdiction over the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty; he later declares himself the Capital City God of the Great Zhen Heavenly Dynasty. 335 337
Principal Fifth Rank — Final City God tier	379	Li Yue reaches the Principal Fifth Rank, identified as the final tier of the City God divine position. The next promotion, to Subordinate Fourth Rank, requires 50,000 Deity Pools of Divine Power and changes the divine position to Prefecture Lord rather than a further City God tier. 379 409

Background

A City God is the regional advancement of the Shinto system beyond the Land God. Land Gods govern villages and towns, while City Gods govern the authority within city walls and establish a regional Shinto system in their own right. In the absence of an overarching Heavenly Court or Underworld, a City God gathers the area’s Shinto authority into itself. 88

The position is first discussed as Li Yue anticipates advancing beyond Principal Eighth Rank. He regards Land Gods as grassroots deities and City Gods as members of the Divine Path’s middle ranks. His Principal Eighth Rank status interface specifies a cost of 2.25 million units of Divine Power to reach Subordinate Seventh Rank and the City God position. 79 109

The office is closely tied to the Human Path. A core place of worship must first become a county before its deity can become a County City God; Li Yue also notes that a County City God normally requires at least 200,000 human believers. 147

After Four Seas Town becomes Four Seas County, Li Yue ascends to the position of Orthodox City God. His jurisdiction expands to twenty counties, and he begins building a complete pantheon around the City God Temple and Underworld Dharma Domain. 156

City Gods are middle-tier Orthodox Gods within the Divine Path rather than grassroots deities. They unify the authority over Yin spirits and Yang spirits alike, while concentrating administrative, military, judicial, punitive, and fortune-related authority within their regional jurisdiction. 156

Li Yue distinguishes this arrangement from the myths of his previous life, in which Land Gods answered to the Heavenly Court and City Gods to the Underworld. In his own divine system, neither office separates Yin spirits from Yang spirits. 156

The connection between divine rank and human civilization continues at the prefecture level. Li Yue uses the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty’s fortune to establish Four Seas Prefecture City before beginning his Subordinate Sixth Rank breakthrough as a Prefecture City God. The resulting Fortune Prefecture City improves grain production, cultivation speed, lifespan, and the intelligence of registered citizens’ descendants. 254

Principal Fifth Rank is the terminal tier of the City God divine position. A deity that promotes further ceases to be a City God and enters the higher ranks of the Divine Path. 379

The next position is Prefecture Lord, attained at Subordinate Fourth Rank. Such a deity can be called a “Monarch” and is considered a high-level deity rather than a middle-tier City God. Much later, Li Yue reflects on the sequence of Land God, City God, and Prefecture Lord as evidence that the Divine Path’s foundation is deeply connected to life, death, and Yin-Yang. 379 409 1443

Appearance

Li Yue’s City God form is marked by black-and-gold ceremonial regalia and an imposing divine presence. His City God statue stands nine zhang tall in the main hall of the City God Temple. 156

• Wears a City God Robe of black and gold. 156 179
• Bears a City God Crown. 156 179
• Holds the City God Register and the Book of Life and Death. 156
• His divine body can enlarge into a thousand-foot giant, with golden radiance and lotus flowers accompanying his descent. 247
• A young woman associated with an earlier divine era also appears wearing a City God Robe and City God Crown, showing that these vestments are not unique to Li Yue. 193

Authority and Abilities

Regional Shinto Authority

A City God commands the Shinto affairs of a city or county and serves as the foundation of a regional pantheon.

• Jurisdiction strengthens with population and believers, who provide a continuing source of Divine Power. 156
• Li Yue’s initial City God jurisdiction covers 2,000 square kilometers and supports twelve Subordinate God positions. 156
• His twenty-county territory contains more than 6.2 million inhabitants at the time of his promotion, providing a substantial potential foundation for faith. 156
• The office unifies Yin and Yang spiritual authority rather than separating Yin spirits from Yang spirits. 156
• A City God is especially difficult to destroy within its Divine Domain; Li Yue states that he will not perish so long as his Divine Domain survives. 159
• The position can extend beyond its original county through the expansion of human political territory and faith. Li Yue eventually encompasses the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty and establishes Capital City God authority over the Great Zhen Heavenly Dynasty. 335 337
• City Gods can also serve as local deities beneath a higher-ranking ruler. Before Li Yue reaches the final City God tier, his roughly 50,000 Subordinate Gods include City Gods, Land Gods, Mountain Gods, and River Gods distributed throughout the Great Zhen Heavenly Dynasty. Their divine administration complements the work of human officials. 377

Reincarnation and Spiritual Judgment

City Gods can commune with the cycle of reincarnation. Li Yue possesses an additional sliver of the Authority of Samsara, allowing him to control human reincarnation within his jurisdiction. 121 159

• The Book of Life and Death allows appointed judges to record verdicts with the Divine Pen. 156
• Souls collected by Ghost Messengers enter the City God Mansion for review. 157
• The virtuous are rewarded, the wicked are punished, and humans with service to the Human Path may be granted divinity. 157
• Souls are sent onward to Eternal God City for reincarnation after review. 157
• Zhang Qi'an is stationed in Eternal God City to arrange the reincarnation of ten human prodigy-level souls each month into Li Yue’s jurisdiction. 133
• Li Yue’s Authority of Samsara predates his City God promotion. After completing his earlier journey to Eternal God City, he learns that the city is part of reincarnation and that his sliver of authority grants a limited degree of control over it. This acquired authority is distinct from the City God position’s ability to commune with reincarnation. 120 159
• The reincarnated prodigies’ former merits can become exceptional innate potential in their new lives. Li Yue uses this process to cultivate future talent within Four Seas Holy City. 185

Samsara Grinding Disc

The Samsara Grinding Disc is the ultimate weapon formed after an Orthodox City God communes with reincarnation. 159

• Condenses inside the Divine Domain from an ancient gray aura covered in inscriptions. 159
• Its power exceeds what a deity can normally exert within its jurisdiction. 159
• Can only be used inside the Divine Domain, requiring enemies to be drawn within it. 159

City God Manifestation

City God Manifestation is a Subordinate Seventh Rank divine art that functions as an expendable avatar. 180 181

• A manifestation can kill enemies despite not being Li Yue’s true body. 180
• It can be recreated after damage without backlash to Li Yue. 181
• Li Yue can create multiple manifestations at once. 181
• At Subordinate Sixth Rank, it evolves into the Second Divine Body, which can store Divine Power but requires ten million strands of Divine Power to manifest. 260
• Before its evolution, the manifestation can use the solidified Orthodox God Heavenly Eye and Light-Generating Method, together with one divine art stored in the Heavenly Monarch Cauldron. The Second Divine Body’s ability to store Divine Power removes this earlier resource limitation. 260
• At Principal Sixth Rank, Li Yue’s status interface lists a manifestation cost of fifty million units of Divine Power for the Second Divine Body. 300

Sixth-Rank Divine Art Evolutions

Upon reaching Subordinate Sixth Rank, Li Yue’s principal City God arts undergo major transformations. 260

• Orthodox God Heavenly Eye evolves into City God Divine Eye. 260
• Sun-Covering Method evolves into Heaven-Covering Sun-Hiding. 260
• Light-Generating Method evolves into Undying Light. 260
• Red Heaven Divine Thunder evolves into Sun Divine Thunder. 260
• City God Manifestation evolves into the Second Divine Body. 260

Li Yue’s Principal Sixth Rank repertoire also includes City God Dao Chain, Illusory Dream World, Eighteen Purgatories, Lord of the Earth, Ancient Naihe Bridge, River of Oblivion, and Southern Heaven Gate. These arts accompany his documented Prefecture City God position. 300

Twelve Departments

The City God’s pantheon is organized through twelve departments operating from the Underworld Dharma Domain and City God Mansion. 156 157

• The Underworld Dharma Domain is intended as the underworld counterpart to the mortal City God Temple. 156
• Deng Jiu'e serves in the Merit and Fault Department, Li Xiuqi in the Sin and Evil Department, and Zhang Ronggui in the Blessings Department in acting capacities. 157
• Completing the Twelve Departments gives Li Yue’s divine lineage an administrative foundation and a role in reincarnation. 157
• By the time of the Nine Mountains City God Heavenly Mansion’s establishment, Li Yue commands more than three hundred Subordinate Gods, along with Yin Soldiers and Ghost Messengers serving the underworld administration. 241
• A complete regional pantheon also requires Mountain Gods, River Gods, and other deities to oversee individual areas. Li Yue initially expects a more complete assembly of Subordinate Gods and Divine Law Fragments to increase the strength he can exert. 156
• He later learns that the particular Divine Path Law transformation obtained by assembling the Twelve Departments, Mountain God, and River God is a special benefit reserved for the top one hundred deities of an era, rather than an automatic benefit available to every City God. 233
• Li Xiudao later serves as deputy director of the Battle Department, demonstrating the development of the departmental hierarchy beyond the initial acting appointments. 323

Deity Pools and Divine Domain Revival

At Principal Seventh Rank, Li Yue opens his first Deity Pool, capable of holding one hundred million strands of Divine Power. The pool can refine approximately ten thousand strands daily from substances drawn from the void. Advancing to Subordinate Sixth Rank requires three full pools, totaling three hundred million strands. 200

His Divine Domain expands to thirty thousand zhang in extent, covering approximately 31,416 square kilometers. Li Yue recognizes it as his true body: destruction of his external divine body does not prevent revival within the surviving domain. This resilience is not absolute immortality, and he acknowledges that higher-ranking deities can still ultimately be killed. 200

• Ordinary Principal Seventh Rank deities are described as having strength at the Ninth Order’s peak; Li Yue’s Eleventh Order combat capability at this stage comes from his exceptional techniques and artifacts rather than the City God title alone. 200
• Later expansion talismans increase his Divine Domain’s durability and revival speed. At the Capital City God stage, he believes he can revive almost instantly and then use the Azure Underworld Dao Map to escape with his jurisdiction. 344
• Revival in the Divine Domain remains possible in the Myriad Races Battlefield because it lacks the rule-based power found in God War. Li Yue explicitly treats this as an advantage of deities generally. 303

Equipment and Structures

• City God Robe and City God Crown — transformed from Li Yue’s former Land God Vestments and Land God Crown upon ascension. 156
• City God Register — transformed from the Land God Register; records believers as well as deities, Yin Soldiers, and Ghost Messengers. 156
• Book of Life and Death — used by appointed judges to record spiritual verdicts. 156
• Divine Pen — writes judgments into the Book of Life and Death. 156
• City God Mansion — underworld court where souls are reviewed before reincarnation. Its initial expanded complex contains dozens of palaces, a moat, a black bridge, imposing walls, and an entrance bearing its name. 157
• Nine Mountains City God Heavenly Mansion — special structure that grants Subordinate Gods daily Divine Power according to rank and expands the Underworld Dharma Domain ten-thousandfold. 241
• Regional City God Temples — temples and divine statues established throughout the twenty counties outside Four Seas County, allowing believers across the jurisdiction to worship Lord Zhangyue more conveniently. Each temple is staffed by twenty candidate chief priests and protected by one hundred Fourth Rank Divine Guard soldiers. 191
• Golden Seal / Heavenly Emperor Seal — Li Yue’s Subordinate Seventh Rank deity artifact incorporates Mountain Moving Technique, Five-Finger Mount Sumeru, and City God Manifestation, giving it suppression, deterrence, sealing, Sumeru, extreme weight, and indestructibility effects. 165
• Capital City God Temple — after the expansion of Four Seas Prefecture City for the Great Zhen Heavenly Dynasty’s founding, the temple stands at the northern end of the city, facing the Sacrificial Plaza and adjoining the Temple Keeper Hall and military barracks. 331

Relationships

• Li Yue / Lord Zhangyue — documented holder of the City God position, advancing from County City God through Prefecture City God to Capital City God and ultimately the final City God tier. 156 300 335 379
• Li Youming — Temple Keeper granted authority to govern the City God Mansion; later oversees temple affairs and the conferral of divinity. 159 233
• Deng Jiu'e — acting official of the Merit and Fault Department within the City God Mansion. 157
• Li Xiuqi — acting official of the Sin and Evil Department. 157
• Zhang Ronggui — acting official of the Blessings Department. 157
• Zhang Qi'an — Subordinate God stationed in Eternal God City to manage designated human reincarnations; he later becomes a Principal Sixth Rank City God. 133 441
• Li Xiudao — deputy director of the Battle Department and representative of Lord Zhangyue’s divine authority. He publicly identifies his superior as the Great Zhen Heavenly Dynasty’s Capital City God when taking control of Juntian City. 323 338
• Great Wind Holy Dynasty’s City God — another documented holder of the title, possessing Sub-Saint-level strength and appearing among the dynasty’s leading powers confronted by Li Yue. The dynasty contains numerous City God Temples and Underworld Dharma Domains staffed by Ghost Messengers and Yin Soldiers. 394
• Heavenly Clan — enemies of the Divine Path who recognize the return of an Orthodox City God as a threat. One Heavenly Clan member attempts to report Li Yue’s appearance after being immobilized by his Divine Might. 162

Story Role / Major Arcs

Establishment of Four Seas County

Li Yue turns Four Seas Town into Four Seas County, creating the Human Path foundation necessary to become a County City God. 147

The transformation uses the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty’s fortune to establish a Fortune County City. Visitors later recognize it as an exceptional revival of a form of human settlement that had largely disappeared after Great Zhou’s collapse. 146 150

Ascension to City God

Li Yue becomes an Orthodox City God at Subordinate Seventh Rank, gains jurisdiction over twenty counties, and begins forming the Twelve Departments. 156

Li Youming and the believers recognize the transformation into an Orthodox City God as the deity’s temple develops into a palace complex. The promotion marks Li Yue’s transition from a grassroots Land God into the head of a regional pantheon. 155 156

Creation of the City God Mansion

Li Yue upgrades the Underworld Dharma Domain and constructs the City God Mansion as a court for the dead, assigning Land Gods to begin administrative work within three departments. 157

Reincarnation Authority

After communing with reincarnation, Li Yue forms the Samsara Grinding Disc, solidifying the City God position’s underworld authority. 159

Suppression of Evil Specters

Li Yue’s City God Manifestation annihilates the Black God Society President’s avatar and later destroys a Subordinate Seventh Rank Evil Specter despite operating through a manifestation. 179 180

Regional Temple Network

Over a ten-year period, Li Youming establishes City God Temples in the twenty counties beyond Four Seas County. Each temple houses Lord Zhangyue’s statue, expanding access to worship and strengthening the faith of the regional population. 191

Four Seas County becomes known as Four Seas Holy City and serves as the military, political, and religious center of the twenty counties. Its City God Temple anchors the growing community of believers. 185 191

Principal Seventh Rank and Regional Protection

Following his advancement to Principal Seventh Rank, Li Yue gains his first Deity Pool and a substantially enlarged Divine Domain. His expanded jurisdiction encompasses Leixiao Prefecture and part of Mingdao Prefecture. 200 204

After witnessing humans being treated as livestock by demons, he publicly declares himself the Four Seas City God, promising protection and Divine Grace to believers and destruction for man-eating demons and Evil Specters. The proclamation turns his regional authority into an openly interventionist protection of the Human Path. 204

Advancement to Prefecture City God

Li Yue advances Four Seas County into Four Seas Prefecture City and begins his Subordinate Sixth Rank breakthrough. The associated heavenly disturbance draws an attack from a peak-Tenth-Order Heavenly Clan enforcer, whose blade he destroys before completing the promotion. 254

His divine arts subsequently evolve to match the higher rank, and his position is explicitly recorded as Prefecture City God. He later reaches Principal Sixth Rank after a month of cultivating the Five Elements Rotation Divine Light Technique. 260 294 300

Capital City God and Final Tier

Li Yue expands his jurisdiction to encompass the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty, acts as the Capital City God of the Great Zhen Heavenly Dynasty, and eventually reaches Principal Fifth Rank—the final City God tier. 335 337 379

His subordinate divine network grows to roughly 50,000 gods, including regional City Gods who assist human officials in governing the dynasty. After reaching the terminal tier, he works toward the fifty thousand Deity Pools needed for Subordinate Fourth Rank, identifying Prefecture Lord as the office that will replace his City God position. 377 409

Other City Gods and the Continuing Office

City God authority remains present beyond Li Yue’s personal progression. In the Great Wind Holy Dynasty, he encounters an established network of City God Temples and Underworld Dharma Domains and confronts a Sub-Saint City God among the dynasty’s leading religious and political powers. Zhang Qi'an later holds the Principal Sixth Rank City God position within Li Yue’s divine system. 394 441